For centuries, wax candles have been used to provide lighting for all types of dwellings. Over the last thirty years, however, wax candles have mainly been used as decorative lighting or as subdued lighting for mood-setting purposes. For instance, restaurants use wax candles as decorations in order to provide a more intimate setting for their patrons. Individuals purchase wax candles for placement around their home to provide a festive or relaxing environment for their guests.
There are a few disadvantages with wax candles. One disadvantage is that they are costly to use when considering operational costs ($/usage time). In addition to their high cost, wax candles with open flames pose a risk of fire when left unattended for a period of time. These candles also pose a risk of harm to small children who do not understand the dangers of fire.
Accordingly, for cost savings and safety concerns, in certain situations, it would be beneficial to substitute a wax candle for a candle emulation device. Unfortunately, most candle emulation devices do not accurately imitate the lighting effect of a flickering candle, namely a realistic flickering light pattern. For usage by restaurants, this may leave an unfavorable impression by patrons of a restaurant. For usage at home, it may not provide the overall mood-setting effect that the user has tried to create.